The present Invention relates to a basketball practice device adapted to be mounted independently or on a standard basketball goal or ring.
It is desirable that basketball players develop a high degree of accuracy in throwing the ball from various locations on the basketball floor such that the ball will drop into the basket. This is particularly true with regard to foul shots.
While some players have reasonably good skills in making jump shots and lay-up shots, they can nevertheless have considerable difficulty in making foul shots from the foul line. In shooting such foul shots, it is desirable to learn to make the shots with the proper arc such that the ball tails directly through the basket and does not engage the basket rim. This is generally referred to as a "swish" shot.
The basket hoop or ring is mounted in a horizontal fashion and projects from a backboard. Of course, when the basket so mounted is viewed from the playing floor by the basketball player, one is not able to visualize the true size of the target or hoop and they are not readily able to judge the arc through which the ball must travel to "swish" through the hoop.
In order to enhance the player's view of the target and help them to better judge the required arc of the ball to be thrown, and to further become more proficient in making foul shots by educating ones muscles to continuously react in the same manner each time, an auxiliary practice ring as illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 2,039,794 was developed wherein an auxiliary ring is supported above a basketball basket supporting ring at an acute angle thereto whereby players can throw a ball through the auxiliary ring and the basket supporting ring. The auxiliary ring, not being in a horizontal plane, provides the player with a true picture as to actually how large the hoop or ring diameter is and additionally provides a large visual target for the basketball player, giving him or her an accurate visual arc through which the basketball must travel in order to properly drop through both rings.
The problem with such prior art devices is that while they certainly assist in training the "muscle memory" of the shooter, the practice device is not adapted to accommodate the different proficiencies for the different skill levels of different basketball players. Accordingly, the players are not encouraged to acquire their greatest degree of proficiency in shooting foul shots.
It is a principal object of the present invention to eliminate this deficiency and provide a basketball practice device which will match the proficiency of all basketball players, from the beginner to the professional, and encourage them to attain ever higher degrees of proficiency.